Heart disease, including stroke, is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. The good news is that many heart problems are preventable with healthy lifestyle habits.
As a way to encourage Sitkans to take care of their hearts, and prevent heart disease, SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is participating in American Heart Month by inviting community members to an event hosted by the SEARHC Health Promotion team Tuesday, February 28, 2017.
The event will take place from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Odess Theatre in the Richard H. Allen Memorial Hall on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp.
The evening will include a “heart health” discussion panel made up of health, physical activity, and nutrition experts from Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital. The invited panelists are Dr. John Baciocco, Family Medicine, Dr. Eula Crippen, Psychologist, Jessica Holland, RD, Nutrition, Gio Villanueva, Physical Therapist, and Lexie Smith, Culinarian.
There will also be opportunities to win special prizes for attendees showing extra support for heart health by wearing red, and of course, healthy snacks. SEARHC encourages both men and women in Sitka to make healthy changes to lower their risk of developing heart disease.
“Heart problems are not always easy to detect on your own,” said Martha Pearson, Director of SEARHC Health Promotion, “regular check-ups for blood pressure and cholesterol will help you know your risk. SEARHC is always here to help.”
If it’s time for a checkup that includes checking up on your heart health, don’t wait. Please schedule an appointment with your provider right away.